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Solo travel · Toronto · Canada

Solo travel in Toronto

How to enjoy Toronto at your own pace.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: V. L., CC0

Quick answer

Toronto is relaxed for solo travellers: transit is simple, people are friendly if reserved, and food halls, bar seating and free events make eating and going out alone feel natural. Many solo travellers base themselves in Queen West and Ossington.

Key facts

Base
Queen West and Ossington
Getting around
Metro
Emergency number
911
Language
English

Solo travel tips

  • Stay near a subway line — downtown, Queen West or the Annex — to keep late-night transport simple.
  • Sit at the bar in restaurants; many Toronto kitchens keep counter seats for walk-ins.
  • Free outdoor events at Harbourfront Centre and Nathan Phillips Square run through the summer.
  • Rent a Bike Share bike and ride the waterfront trail from the Humber River to The Beaches.
  • Keep an eye on your belongings on late-night transit and around Yonge–Dundas, as in any big city.

Where to stay

$$$ · Best for nightlife, shopping, food lovers and solo travellers

Queen West and Ossington

Queen Street West runs from the Graffiti Alley murals near Spadina past independent fashion, record and design shops to Trinity Bellwoods Park and the art-filled boutique hotels and galleries of West Queen West. Ossington Avenue and Dundas Street West are lined with cocktail bars and small restaurants that fill up late.

Good
Strong bar and restaurant scene; Independent shopping; 501 streetcar along Queen
Watch out
Noisy on weekend nights; Few large hotels
Nearby
Graffiti Alley, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Kensington Market, Art Gallery of Ontario

Great on your own

Landmark · Entertainment District

CN Tower

Go about an hour before sunset to see the city by day and lit up, and skip it on hazy or low-cloud days.

Time needed
1.5–2 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Iconic
  • Views
  • Kids
  • After dark
  • Photo spot
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
Photo: Maksim Sokolov (Maxergon), CC BY-SA 4.0

Museum · Yorkville

Royal Ontario Museum

Start with the dinosaur gallery before school groups arrive, then pick two or three other galleries rather than trying to see everything.

Time needed
3 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Iconic
  • History
  • Kids
  • Rainy day
  • Architecture
Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto
Photo: Canmenwalker, CC BY 4.0

Gallery · Grange Park

Art Gallery of Ontario

Head first for the Group of Seven rooms, then climb Gehry's spiral staircase at the back of the building.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Mid-priced
  • Art
  • Architecture
  • Rainy day
  • Iconic
St. Lawrence Market, Toronto
Photo: Canmenwalker, CC BY 4.0

Market · Old Town

St. Lawrence Market

Come hungry on a weekday morning or early on Saturday, before the lunchtime crowds.

Time needed
1–2 hours
Cost
Low cost
  • Food
  • History
  • Rainy day
  • Shopping
Toronto Islands, Toronto
Photo: JK Liu, CC BY-SA 4.0

Island · Toronto Harbour

Toronto Islands

Take the ferry to Ward's Island in the morning, walk or cycle west along the boardwalk, and return from Centre Island or Hanlan's Point at sunset for skyline photos.

Time needed
Half a day to a full day
Cost
Low cost
  • Outdoors
  • Kids
  • Views
  • Photo spot
  • Couples

Meeting people

  • Saturday at St. Lawrence Market — Arrive early for the farmers' market and a peameal bacon sandwich, then browse the cheese, mustard and butter-tart counters of the South Market.
  • Winterlicious and Summerlicious — Twice a year, usually from late January and again in July, hundreds of restaurants offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menus, a cheaper way into well-known kitchens.
  • King Street West — Clubs, rooftop lounges and late restaurants in the Entertainment District, busiest on Fridays and Saturdays.
  • Ossington and Dundas West — Dense strips of cocktail bars, wine bars and small music venues favoured by locals.

Sensible precautions

Toronto is generally calm for visitors; the most common problems are bike and car break-ins and occasional incidents on late-night transit and around a few busy downtown intersections. In winter, icy pavements and severe wind chill are real hazards, so dress for the weather.

Emergency number
911
Staying connected
Free Wi-Fi is available in libraries, many subway stations and cafés; eSIMs and Canadian SIM cards work well.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Toronto good for solo travellers?

Toronto is relaxed for solo travellers: transit is simple, people are friendly if reserved, and food halls, bar seating and free events make eating and going out alone feel natural.

+Where should solo travellers stay in Toronto?

Queen West and Ossington: Independent shops, galleries and bars along Queen Street West.